REEFTON CONTRACT TROUBLE.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 42, 22 December 1911, Page 10

REEFTON CONTRACT TROUBLE.

At a conference "between the mine owners' representatives and the Miners' Union, the mining companies were represented by Messrs. N-. Johnson and A. W. Evans (Consolidated Mines), T. H. Lee (Big River Gold Mining Co.), and Mr. Wills (Keep-it-Barlc G.M. Co,) ; the Miners' "Union being represented by H. Gillen (president), A. Gnnn (vice-president), and M. Fagan (secre-

tary). • The Chairman explained that the object of the conference was to discuss the position of both parties in respect to contract specifications and on behalf of the mine owners presented each union delegate with a typewritten list of specifications containing the terms under which the mining companies were prepared to contract* The union representatives, on perusing the specifications, found that they contained elaborate preparations for-stoping on contract. Some discussion followed*.union delegates pointing .out that they had not come to discuss the terms of ■stoping on contract, as stoping on contract was prohibited by the registered rules of the union. It quickly becameapparent that as this was the real issue as far as the mine owners were concerned the conference would prove abortive. Later, when, in reply to a question, Mr. A. W. Evans stated that unless the union agreed to stope on contract he was not prepared to come to a settlement, . the union delegates withdrew.